teaching in Baltimore (buy, school districts, live)

[riwen02]

I am looking to relocate to baltimore and surrounding areas this summer. I have 5 years teaching experience plus one year of subbing here in Kansas City. I have already attained my maryland certification and am certified 4-9 Social Studies, 9-12 Social Studies, and 7-12 FACS. When is the best time to start applying for jobs? Any pointers would be greatly appreciated!!

[Nonna2trips]

There are often teacher job fairs in the spring. I have seen teachers hired all the way up to just before school starts. You will have more options the earlier you apply. If you are available to interview late spring /early summer, you will have a great chance of being offered a contract. Baltimore schools are a challenge but have one of the higher pay scales. Check out the websites for Baltimore, Howard and Anne Arundel counties as well. If you prefer more rural, try Carroll or Harford counties.

[riwen02]

Thanks! My boyfriend actually lives in Baltimore so I plan to choose dates to visit and let school districts know in my cover letter when I will be in town or that I can fly out to interview if they need me to. I taught High School alternative for 5 years and am currently subbing in a very urban district.

[are you kidinme?]

You ain't seen nuttin yet.

[jonjj]

Originally Posted by are you kidinme?

You ain't seen nuttin yet.

Product of a suburban school district?

[kinkytoes]

Well, I have to chime in here because I have personal experience. Some of the kids are violent and malnourished and I personally would think twice about trying to teach them. You are obviously braver than I am. I have mixed feelings about public school.

I have attended good and terrible public schools and taught/counseled public school kids from Anne Arundel County, Baltimore city and Baltimore County. In my opinion the public schools in Baltimore are terrible and at least half of the "children" act like animals. I also think that this is because they are probably malnourished and have poor and unconcerned parents who don't care about them.

It's hard to believe for people with caring parents, but most of those kids live on cookies and candy and kool-aid substitutes that aren't even fortified with vitamins. As a result their ability to learn, concentrate and develop is hampered, and their parents either don't care, don't know how to feed the kids or are on drugs and sell the food assistance they get from the government to nourish their kids.

I was able to teach a couple of kids as a volunteer, but I only did that by removing the disruptive kids from the class. I think that may be impossible to do in a "real" school because the administration won't let you. But IMO some of the kids are unteachable and destined for a life of crime.

The sad thing is that 2 or 3 violent, disruptive and rude (I mean RUDE) kids can keep an entire class from learning anything. My other piece of advice is not to waste any time on kids like that and concentrate on the kids you are capable of teaching. Lots of Luck.

[are you kidinme?]

Just imagine 28 violent and rude kids effect on the two who want to learn. Very sad as you said.

[kinkytoes]

Originally Posted by are you kidinme?

Just imagine 28 violent and rude kids effect on the two who want to learn. Very sad as you said.

In my experience it wasn't *that* bad. There really were just a FEW disruptive kids. Sadly, they were extremely disruptive. Also, the more affluent kids and the poor kids seemed to have the same problem: their parents worked. The big difference is that the poor kids from Baltimore city that I taught didn't even have things like ART or Phonics in their schools(WTF). I was appalled. I guess if I really cared, I would have become a teacher...

What were they doing with all the money they spend on education? That reminds me, I need to donate some funds to the schools so they can actually buy supplies! I remember my big issue with the Balt. city schools is that they seemed to be run by idiots. Teachers/Administrators who didn't know how to teach and were undereducated themselves. It was a shame.

Does anyone know if this program is good: Volunteers, partners and donors are making a difference in schools right now. (http://www.bcps.k12.md.us/Departments/Partnership_Office/donate.asp - broken link)
I'm considering adopting a classroom.

[davecj]

You know it sure is easy to see the problems when you are on the outside looking in.

Baltimore City should be relatively easy to find a position in. I was laid off from a 9th grade, low level math position in Anne Arundel County.

[kinkytoes]

Originally Posted by davecj

You know it sure is easy to see the problems when you are on the outside looking in.

Baltimore City should be relatively easy to find a position in. I was laid off from a 9th grade, low level math position in Anne Arundel County.

It sure is, but I am personally too scared to teach. I'm sorry to hear that you were laid off. Good luck finding a new job.